Anybody who visits Dresden for a couple of days will definitely go around the Altmarkt Galerie, a huge three-story shopping arcade which houses numerous boutiques, souvenir shops, food stores, take-aways, restaurants and pubs. Concealed behind the arched walkway along the west side of the Altmarkt, the Altmarkt Galerie is a surprisingly modern and elegant shopping complex where you can easily spend a whole day looking into shops and enjoying the party-like atmosphere brought about by the streaming masses of tourists.
The main entrance on Webergasse, Altmarkt side leads to a beautiful courtyard that directs visitors towards the escalators. Once on the top floor, a short walk northwards brings you right in front of Ristorante Il Violino. As the name indicates, Il Violino is a typical medium-sized Italian restaurant that specializes in pizza, pasta and sweet dishes. The bright atmosphere inside is always bustling with activity, particularly if you are here for an early dinner. Although popular and always overcrowded with lovers of Italian food, Il Violino is never uneasy or disturbing and is the ideal place for a quick snack or a full meal after hours of shopping and sightseeing. In the evening, usually from 5pm to 8pm, the atmosphere is enhanced by background classical Italian music.
The extensive menu, exquisitely bound in brown leather displays a wide variety of pizza toppings with a detailed description of each. Similarly described are the flavoring gravies and sauces of the pasta dishes. The pasta au gratin is served with a choice of freshly grated cheeses that include tasty Parmigiano, delicious Grana Padano or salty Pecorino. Besides the wide range of delicious pizzas and savory pasta dishes for which Il Violino is renowned, the menu lists a dozen or so succulent specimens of mouth-watering salads. A salad of Gamberetti, rightly chosen by my wife for lunch was crispy, exquisitely presented and accompanied by oyster sauce, lemon, garlic and herbs.
I opted for a dish of tortellini with Parma ham, mushrooms and paprika which was generous and filling enough to leave no room for a second course. While waiting 20 minutes or so for our food, we soaked in the active but otherwise relaxing atmosphere of Il Violino whilst enjoying a glass of wine. The vast wine list is long enough to make the choice difficult; being no wine connoisseur, I chose at random a bottle of local Cabernet which happened to be rich, fruity and mellow.
When it was time to order the sweets, my wife and I were both feeling pretty full up but who could resist trying a slice of raspberry cake unfolded on a layer of almond sponge or a dish of black forest gateau topped with a dark layer of chocolate? We finished off with an espresso and the knowledge that Ristorante Il Violino provides genuine tasty Italian fare, impeccable service and a rich culinary experience beyond our expectations.
Like all shops in the Altstadt Galerie, Il Violino opens daily from 10am to 8pm.